Yesterday before work I wasted my time after class, it was not used wisely. I spent time patting myself on the back for fixing my wife’s car (and yeah, its still running great) and I spent time opening up a bunch of cool trade packages. Then I spent a little while posting a 20-card salute to my man, Jonny Gomes. The tribute was rushed, not proofread, the scans weren’t great and I am pretty sure no one read it, so… The things that I didn’t do which I should have included: Every single thing on my list of things of to do (yes, I actually make a list every Sunday night of 21 things I want to do that week), buy dog food (this animal is eating 40 lbs of food each week!), mail out trade packages or log into my work e-mail account. I also didn’t take the time to crack open a newspaper or visit Raysbaseball dot com. Had I done any of the latter three things I would have known that the Rays fired their hitting coach of 5 years, Steve Henderson. As part of the AL Champions, Henderson was an All Star coach this year and his team, the Rays, set team records in home runs, runs scored, walks and on base percentage. Those, I would think, are good things to do. Had I been aware of this yesterday, I would not have been a happy Troll, despite all of the cool mail that I received.
The move just doesn’t make any sense at all to me. When your team has its best year at the plate in team history, you don’t celebrate by firing the guy responsible-the hitting coach. Henderson has been a part of the (Devil) Rays staff since day one and has spent the last 5 years as their batting coach. I haven’t done many, but I have read a number of interviews with Rays hitters and when their success at the plate is brought up, generally they attribute much of their success to their coach, Steve Henderson. Up until this year, Ben Zobrist was a light hitting, back up utility infielder, but this season he blossomed (erupted) into Zorilla, a power hitting monster, a full time player and an All Star. Last year Jason Bartlett was known for his glove, not his bat. This season, he too was an All Star, and he finished 6th in the American League with a .320 batting average while setting career marks in hits, extra base hits, home runs and runs batted in. When asked about their success at the plate this year, both Zobrist and Bartlett give Henderson all the credit. According to both of them, Henderson helped them with their approach, their swing and showed them how to find their power and use their size and athletic ability to become better hitters. Before coming to Tampa Bay, Carlos Pena was not one of the league’s elite power hitters, he is now and he credits Steve Henderson with helping him find his swing. Henderson seems to make everyone on the team better and I have yet to read a negative word about him. So why fire the guy?
I know that the Rays failed to meet expectations this year by not making the playoffs. I am pretty disappointed myself, but I don’t blame their bats, if I had to start pointing fingers the bullpen would be where I would start.
The Rays have been an offensive power house this year. They have been shut out very few times and have scored 10 runs or more on many occasions. They were on the wrong side of a historical evening when they were the victims of Mark Buerhle’s perfect game, but that was just one game. Carlos Pena led the league in home runs and Evan Longoria wasn’t too far behind. They had two players finish with over 100 runs batted in and two guys bat over .300. They had five different guys on the All Star team and they were all there because of their hitting. To me hitting is the one area that they don’t need a ton of work on. This move, the firing, doesn’t make one bit of sense to me and it is really pissing me off. Todd Greene, the Rays 1st year Quality Assurance Coach was also fired and his position eliminated. The rest of the Rays staff is under contract for 2010.
I will love and support this team no matter what and I will support Henderson’s replacement, too, but damn, this really pisses me off! This just seems such an off the wall thing to do, there has to be a reason and I need to know it. If there isn’t a reason, then what the hell are you guys doing Tampa Bay?
I think of all of the foolish moves that the team after going to the World Series last year. They fired their mascot, the original Raymond. That wasn’t wise. They also cut (or neglected to try and sign) Jonny Gomes, Cliff Floyd, Eric Hinske, Dan Johnson and Rocco Baldelli. They also traded away two great starting pitchers and got very little in return. I am speaking of All Star Edwin Jackson and Jason Hammel who is in the playoffs with the Rockies this year. Of course in more recent stupid moves there was the trading of Scott Kazmir, another pitcher who is in the playoffs this year in another team’s uniform. It has been said that the Kazmir trade was done simply to save money. He was slated to make a lot of money next season, more than they wanted to pay him. Why was he going to make so much money? Because he signed the freaking contract that the team offered him! Why offer to pay someone a sum of money that you either can’t afford or don’t want to pay, why bother? As it turns out, the trade worked out great for Kazmir. Since being shipped away his ERA is 1.73 in 6 starts and he is going to be in the starting rotation for the Angels in the POSTSEASON!
And what does the trade do for the Rays? Well, it saves them money. That is what baseball is all about, right? That’s what the fans come to the ballpark to see, right? A team that is really good at saving money. That packs them in like nothing else. You hear the clichés “You’ve got to spend money to make money” and “you’ve got to pay to win”, but I think the Rays need to coin a new one. “Saving money is the best method to guarantee to not field a competitive ballclub”. Its not that catchy is it? I loved what the Rays accomplished last year, they made it to the World Series with one of the lower payrolls in baseball. That was awesome and I did take pride in the fact that they didn’t buy their way in, ala the New York Yankees. But as soon as the series was over, what did they do? They got rid of 7 of their lowest paid players (and 4 of those guys are in the playoffs now) and they replaced them with a useless, White Elephant, Designated Hitter who can’t hit and they rewarded him with a gigantic contract.
With that huge contract, there is no other team in baseball that would be willing to touch Burrell and because of that front-office flub-up, we lose one of our top starters. I don’t think that Pat likes playing in Tampa Bay, either. I know I don’t like watching him strike out (I mean play), but my complaint is that his signing doesn’t follow the Rays money-saving mantra. Okay, I am off track a bit now. This tirade began with me being pissed beyond belief that the Rays would fire their awesome hitting coach, Steve Henderson and now I am dredging up old news, Pat Burrell stuff. Maybe that is how Henderson failed. He couldn’t teach a 7 million dollar man to hit a baseball. Maybe its just that all roads lead to the dead end signing of Pat the Bat. When I finally did check my work e-mail I saw quite a few rumor mill, insider info type messages that say the Rays aren’t planning on picking up Akinori Iwamura’s option for this year. That would be mother f-ing stupid. Signing Pat Burrell was f-ing stupid. Firing Steve Henderson was really f-ing stupid, but letting Aki walk would be really, really mother f-ing stupid. Do the right thing Tampa Bay. Think of your fans, think of your team and think about winning. Troll out.
The guy they inked to a 2-year, 16 million contract last year is gone! I shouted loud against this move when it happened and I have supported my team while wishing there was a way to end this chapter. I even wrote a hoax post this April about the Rays trading Burrell. Well today they finally listened and it’s done. The Pat Burrell chapter in Rays history is done. Tampa Bay has 10 days to trade, release or waiver Burrell and they are still on the hook for the 9 million he is owed this season. Oh well. I personally would chase a rolling nickel down the street, but I would rather see my team take a 9 million dollar loss than have Pat the Bat kill another rally by grounding into a double play. I wanted to like you Pat. We are both dog owners, you share the same name as my Mom, but it wasn’t meant to be. I am gonna have a few drinks and celebrate your departure Pat. I wish you luck wherever you go. Oakland, Seattle, Toronto, Detroit-wherever. I hope you hit 40 homers next year, I really do. I am just glad you are gone. It looks like Hank Blalock will fill Burrell’s roster spot. I had my fingers crossed for Justin Ruggiano, but like I said, I am still waiting for my other two wishes and I think I will hold onto them until October… I don’t have too many cards of Burrell. This one is hands down the best one I have accumulated. It’s a 2009 Topps Heritage black refractor. It is numbered 13 of 60. It’s a beautiful card; I just wish it was of someone else. 
That is exactly how I felt when the Rays signed him. He’s a great hitter; I just wish they signed someone else. A big thanks to Chris from Stale Gum dot com for this sweet piece of cardboard and a bigger thanks to Andrew Friedman for finally reading my letters! Now, can we talk about re-signing Jonny Gomes? He's hitting .281 with 3 homers and 19 RBI and is perfect so far in left field... Just saying... Go Rays! No more excuses! Troll out.
Last season Burrell was a disappointment at the plate, batting just .221 with 14 homers and 119 strikeouts. 2010 is the final year of Burrell’s 2-year, 16 million dollar contract. Posada inked a 4-year, 54 million dollar deal with the Yankees after the 2007 season making him the highest paid catcher in MLB history. The Rays were concerned about taking on the extra payroll and required New York to pay half of what is due to Posada for 2010. The Rays will be responsible for his entire contract in 2011 and will likely try to trade him before this year’s deadline if they are not in contention for a playoff spot. 
The addition of Joba Chamberlain in the starting rotation will push rookie Wade Davis to the bullpen to begin the year. Chamberlain will be the team's number 5 starter. The team is excited about Chamberlain's intensity, plus he will stay with Posada, his battery mate for his entire big league career. This trade may also create an opportunity for outfielder Justin Ruggiano to rejoin the ball club and assume to role of designated hitter. He had been optioned to AAA Durham. More likely, Hank Blalock will be the Rays opening day DH. All Photos Courtesy of the Associated Press. I am SOOO glad that April is finally here! Opening Day is less than a weel away! Go Rays! Troll out.
Here he is: The Sultan of Striking Out, the Legend of runners Left on base, the DH who is “all glove, no bat”, Mister Pat the Bat Burrell! He is joined by 10 of his teammates making the fun sized Rays set complete! Included are Evan Longoria, Dioner Navarro and Carl Crawford. 
Also, Akinori Iwamura and Scott Kazmir. 
Cycle hitter BJ Upton and the AL Home Run King Carlos Pena.
Last, but not least, a trio of starting pitchers: Matt Garza, James Shields and David Price. 
I have the whole set in standard back form and have about the half the team in Ginter back style. 
I do not have a single black bordered mini and I am okay with that. I really would like to add at least on Bazooka back to the collection. Carl Crawford would be my preference, but I would really be thrilled to have any of them. I am excited to have the whole team together in miniature form. I still don’t have the full team in full sized cards… I am missing Aki, Kazmir and Navi. Okay folks, that’s all for now… The rest of this package is pretty f-ing jaw dropping. I couldn’t believe it myself. I will probably start posting it next week. Thank you so, so much Duane! I owe you big time and you rock out loud my friend! Here is a clue to one of the cool things that may have been in there…
Much more to come! Check out Duane’s blog at 
